By Canadian Press

Mikko Koskinen makes 26 saves, Oilers blank Devils 4-0

Nov 8, 2019 | 9:02 PM

EDMONTON — Alex Chiasson had a goal and an assist and Mikko Koskinen made 26 saves for the shutout as the Edmonton Oilers snapped a two-game losing skid with a 4-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Friday.

Leon Draisaitl, Gaetan Haas and James Neal also scored for the Oilers (11-5-2), who improved to 6-2-1 on home ice this season.

The Devils (4-7-4) have lost two straight.

There was no scoring in the first period with the best chance belonging to New Jersey when Taylor Hall rang a shot off the post behind Koskinen on a breakaway with nine minutes left in the opening frame.

Edmonton got on the board two minutes into the second period when Ryan Nugent-Hopkins sent Draisaitl in on a breakaway and he put a backhand past Devils goalie Cory Schneider.

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With his 14th goal of the season, Draisaitl extended his points streak to eight games. Oilers defenceman Joel Persson also picked up his first NHL point on the play.

The Oilers added to their lead with four minutes left in the middle period when Haas tipped home a Matt Benning point shot.

Just 66 seconds later it was 3-0 when Neal picked up the rebound off a Persson shot in front and scored his 12th goal of the season.

The Oilers got a power-play goal six minutes into the third period as Chiasson tipped a Nugent-Hopkins shot past Schneider for his first goal of the season.

Both teams return to action on Sunday as the Devils conclude a five-game trip in Vancouver and the Oilers head on the road for a two-game set, starting in Anaheim.

Notes: It was the second and final game between the two clubs this season, with Edmonton winning the first contest 4-3 in a shootout… Devils defenceman Sami Vatanen left the game with a first-period injury and did not return… The game featured five of the last 10 first-overall picks in the NHL in Connor McDavid, Jack Hughes, Nugent-Hopkins, Hall and Nico Hischier… The Oilers got a pair of forwards back from injury in Riley Sheahan and Josh Archibald… Coming back from an upper-body injury for the Devils was forward Jesper Bratt.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2019.

Shane Jones, The Canadian Press